Vehicle



Sept. 13, 1932. J. E. RIGHTMIRE VEHICLE Filed Nov. 11. 1950 Shgets-Sheet 1 Sept. 13, 1932. JLE. RIGHTMIRE VEHICLE Filed Nov. 11. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 glwwntoz JE'. .7121 tmz're,

Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED" STATES- JoHN E. RIGHTMIRE,; OF SZAKIM'A, iWASHINGTON VEHICLE:

r Application filed November 11 i930. seriaiNmeeeese v The present invention relates to vehicles, and more particularlyto a truckor wagon.

' An object of the present invention is to prof vide a truck adapted particularly for convey a ing fruit and other products smoothly over rough ground, and to also facilitatethe turning of the truck or vehicle in narrow and confined places. 3 1 t In certain sections of the'country-orchards are'irrigated through ditches which are disposed between the rows oftrees, and these ditches are relatively'narrow and deep and several of these ditches are disposed between the rows of trees. In transporting fruit from the places where it has been picked, it is neces'- sary to use orchard trucks or sleds. If trucks with wheels are usedthey jar in p assingover the ditches and cause considerable damage to the fruit. l i i v Another object of'the present invention is to provide a truck structure which has wheels peculiarly arranged as to theirrelative sizes and locations, and which are also peculiarly mounted on the truck to prevent-the jarring as or bumping of the truck across the irrigation ditches, or other rough and uneven ground andtothus prevent shock and jar to the fruit or other products and the like which maybe carried on the truck. i

Another important feature of the present invention is toprovidea truckstructure em bodying the above characteristics and which at the same time may be maintained relative- 1y light in weight, strong and durable,randwhich at the same time embodies but rela tively few parts producing a relatively'simple construction i i 'With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully delarly pointed out in the claim appended hereto, i a

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like'orcorresponding parts through} out the several views.

' Figure 1 isa bottom plan view of an'orchard truck constructed according to the present invention, the dotted lines showing different-positions of the wheels for short turning of the truck.

, portions of thetruc'kbody. 10 asmay be best scribed hereinafter, and will be more particu-.

Figure 2is a side elevationof-the same; i Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged View of one ofithe'wheel frames and its connection to the truckbody. s l

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken 5 through thepivotal connection of the wheel frame. with the truck body substantially (in the line 44 of Figure 5, and 3 Figure 5 is a'- transverse section therethrough taken'substantially on the line 55 g ofFigure3. f l

7 Referring to thedrawings, lOdesignates a truck body which in the present instance -is disclosed in the form of a platform provided With spaced longitudinal sills for reinforcement and which is provided at opposite ends with upstanding posts 11' or the like-for hold mg the products or material t'obe carried. i

The truck body -10-is provided across its under side and near each end with a bolster, 76 andeach bolster may comprise a pair of chartnel irons 12'which are secured by bolts 13 or the'like against theopposite sidesof spacers l twhich are disposed atthe oppositeedge showniinFigure 5'. The spacers l iare suitably secured to the truckbody 10 and may also be used intermediate-the it lateral edges of the body wherever the longitudinal sills are disposed; i In order "to hold the'lbolsters rigidlyber neath the truck body, braces'15 are employed which at their lower ends'are secured across the lower edges of the-bolsters by screws or the likeand which eXten'dupwardly and inwardly from the bolsters and are suitably se cured at theirupper' ends to the sills of the truck body 10 at points spaced inwardly-from the bolsters. Any additional bracing means may be employed but the braces 15' are thought sufficient to withstand the tortional strain imposed on the bolsters: c i

Each bolsteris provided, between the channel irons 12 thereofand at points spacedinwardly a short distance from the opposite sides of the truck body,with a bearing block 16 secured by bolts or the like in the manner of the spacers 14: and which is provided with a'depending annular projection 17 suitably c recessed to provide a circular bearing adapt;

secured to the opposite flat faces of the sleeve.

18by means of a clamping bolt 21.

The opposite ends ofeach w-heelframe. are provided with cross pieces 22 suitably riveted to the side rails for. holding the same in spaced apart relation and forinterbracing the wheel frame. Each wheel frame is pro vided at opposite sides of andadjacent to the bearing sleeve 18 with a pair of relative [y large wheels 23 mounted on axle bolts 24: adapted to normally engage the ground and support the wheel frame. I

In the outer ends of each wheel frame is disposed a pair of relatively small-wheels 25 mounted on axle bolts 26 which are adapted to engage the-ground when the larger. wheels 23 drop into ditches, ruts or other depressions in the ground surface so that thewheel frame will be supported against sinking or dropping" to any appreciable extent. beneath the general surface level ofthe ground, and thus I the frame will be maintained against'sudden and'uneven vertical movement.

Mounted on the opposite ends of each wheel frame' is an eye piece 27, or the like by'means of which the several frames used may be interconnected. At the rear end of the truck the rear end of the wheel frames. are interconnected by a tie' rod 28 whichis pivotally secured at opposite ends to the respective eye pieces 27 for holding the rear wheel frames in "substantially parallel relation with respect to each other,:and a'second tie rod 2 9 is similarly connected to the rear ends of the forward wheel frames for holdingthem in relative parallel relation. 7 r

A draft bar30 ofany sultable construction is connected by a pivot bolt 31 to an intermediate portion of the forward bolsterof the truck extends forwardly therefrom. a suitable distance beyond the body portionlO for engagement witha suitable draft device so that the truclrmay be drawn forwardly by horses, anysuitable draft animal, a tractor or the like. I v

The draft bar 30 is provided at opposite sides and substantially in linewith the .forward end ofthe truck body 10 with oppositely extending eye-pieces 32 for receiving the inner ends of connecting rods33 which at their outer ends are secured to. the forward eyepieces 27 ofthefront wheel frames and are adapted toco-operate with the reartie rod 29 for holding the front wheel frames in substantially parallel relation at all times.

The forward 'ends of the front wheel frames are also providedwith inwardly extending eye pieces 34 to which are connected the forward ends of flexible coupling elements 35, such asv cables, chains or the like and these coupling elements are arranged in crossed relation and are carried backwardly and about pulleys 36 mounted upon the underside ofthe body "portion 10 intermediate the front and rear ends thereof. Preferably 'the'body portion 10 is provided with a cross sill 37 atits intermediate point which not only reinforces the body 10 but also serves as asuitable support for the pulleys 36; The flexibleelements '35are carried rearwardly. from the pulleys 36and are again disposed in crossed relation and are secured to the eye pieces. 37 at the'forwa rd ends of the rear wheel fframes. securedinrelatively taut positionso that swinging movements of the front wheel frames are communicated correspondingly and equally to the rear wheel frames as clearly shown bythe dotted lines in Figure 1.

; Fromthe above,'the operation of the truck will be apparent for as it isdrawn forwardly in a straightline the tie, rods .28 and 29,'the connecting rods33, and the flexible elements maintain the front and rear wheel frames in substantially parallel relation in'pairs and'in trueparallel relation with the longi-v tudinal axis of the truck. When the truck is drawn over ditches or over uneven ground,

the large wheels 23, normally supporting the truck, are permitted to drop one at a time in the ditches or depressions inthe. ground surface andv bring into operative position the smaller wheels 25-incident to the swinging of e the wheel frames upon the horizontal pivot bolts 21. Thus, the wheel frames are not permitted todr'op to'any appreciable extent and the smaller wheels 25 are ofsuch diameter 'as compared with that of the larger wheels 23 The flexible elements 35 are When a change of direction is desired, the

draft bar or tongue 30'is swung to one side in the natural movement of turning, such as shown in Figure 1. This action, through the short connecting rods 33 swings the forward wheel frames about their vertical axes '19, and these. wheel frames are maintained in parallel relation not only by the rods 33 but also by the tie rod 29. j

Through the action of-the flexible connectors 35, the rear wheel frames are swung about their pivotal axes 19 in a reverse direction but to the same extent so that while the angles of deflection of the front and rear vehicle frames are identical, their movements are opposite. The result obtained is that the truck may be turned on a short radius and may thus be easily conducted through narrow places, between trees and the like. Thus a relatively long truck may be easily handled in a narrow space and about sharp turns.

It will be appreciated that the device is low for easy loading, and at the same time easily slips under the branches of the trees without damage to the fruit or branches.

All of the bolts may be shouldered at opposite ends. When the flat sides of the bolts at wheel frame have been tightened with nuts, there is additional strength given to the wheel frame. Furthermore, each bolt or axle has roller bearings which reduces'the friction and is especially desirable for carry-j ing heavy loads.

Referring to the arrangement of the sixteen wheel surface contact,such arrangement will pull or draw more weight with less horse power than heretofore possible with trucks now in use.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such chan es and modifications being restricted only y the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is A truck comprising a body portion, pairs" of front and rear transverse beams secured in spaced apart parallel relation across the under side of the body portion,.pivot blocks secured between said pairs of beams adjacent the front and rear corners of the body portion, and connected wheeled frames carried beneath the front and rear corner portions of the body portion and each comprising a pair of spaced apart parallel beams, a bearing block secured between the intermediate portions of the pair of beams adapted to register with the bearing blocks of the body portion, a king pin connecting said bearing blocks together in superposed relation, and a plurality of wheels mounted between the parallel beams for supporting the same.

JOHN E. RIGHTMIRE. 

